Hold the Celebration: Egypt's Struggle Just Began

By Stephen Lendman - Posted on 13 February 2011

Hold the Celebration: Egypt's Struggle Just Began - by Stephen Lendman

Hopefully beneath celebratory euphoria, Egyptians know ousting Mubarak was simple, especially since Washington long wanted him out. Covertly with Egypt's military, it facilitated long-planned regime purging for with new faces under old policies. In other words, have everything change but stay the same, a common imperial bait and switch con.

As a result, the real liberating struggle continues against long odds for success because Washington, Egypt's military, Israel, Western powers, and big money will do everything to prevent it. The usual scheme was hatched - a facade of change that may or may not work, and will be months, maybe years, to know.

For now, however, Al Jazeera headlined, "Post-Mubarak era dawns on Egypt....just four weeks after Tunisians toppled their....ruler." Or did they? Their struggle also continues against comparable long odds. People throughout the region face them against powerful dark forces, representing imperial/monied interests, not theirs.

Al Jazeera, however, reported:

"Egyptians have woken to a new dawn after 30 years of rule under Hosni Mubarak." All night celebration preceded it. "Fireworks lit the night sky, cars honed under swathes of read, white and black Egyptian flags and people hoisted children above their heads. Some took souvenir pictures with smiling soldiers atop their tanks city streets," unaware that military commanders are enemies, not allies, a reality they'll confront ahead and should prepare.

For now, opposition figure Ayman Nour called February 11 "the greatest day in Egyptian history. This nation has been born again. These people have been born again, and this is a new Egypt."

"I have waited, I have worked all my adult life to see the power of the people come to the fore and show itself. I am speechless. The moment is not only about Mubarak stepping down, it is also about people's power to bring about the change that no one....thought possible."

Supportive Media Reports

Euphoria also characterized most US media reports. Notably, however, unless Washington plans war or wants foreign adversaries denigrated, rarely ever are overseas events covered, especially uprisings against purported allies. Yet, for days, Egypt's was main-featured on television and in print, including unheard of anti-regime views, meaning official Washington supported them against an out-of-favor leader.

"After eighteen days of protest, Mubarak's nearly thirty-year reign over Egypt was brought to a triumphant close today. Ousted by the people, Egyptian protesters stood strong, exhibiting nothing short of sheer jubilation as the news broke."

New York Times writer David Kirkpatrick headlined, "Egypt Erupts in Jubiliation as Mubarak Steps Down," saying:

Egypt's revolution "overturn(ed) the established order of the Arab world. (Mubarak) was toppled by a radically new force in regional politics - a largely secular, nonviolent, youth-led democracy movement that brought Egypt's liberal and Islamist opposition groups together for the first time under its banner....Mr. Mubarak's fall removed a bulwark of American foreign policy in the region."

In fact, he became a major obstacle to Washington's Greater Middle East Project (renamed the New Middle East) and had to go. Notably, the day Cairo protests erupted, January 25, key Egyptian military commanders, including Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Enan, were in Washington. For years, State Department and Pentagon officials wanted him out because he opposed key US policies, including Iran's nuclear program and Bush's 2003 Iraq war.

Egypt's New Leader

Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi is new head of state as chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt, ruling with its Supreme Constitutional Council - effective February 11. He also served as Minister of Defense, Military Production, Deputy Prime Minister, Commander of the Presidential Guard, and chief of the Operations Authority of the Armed Forces.

He's a powerful old regime stalwart closely aligned with Washington, though US diplomats call him "aged and change-resistant.... "Charming and courtly, he is nonetheless mired in a post-Camp David military paradigm that has served his cohorts' narrow interests for the last three decades. (He's also) opposed both economic and political reform that he perceives as eroding central government power."

Whether he'll cooperate or conflict with Washington remains to be seen. If not, he'll go next, the same anti- Mubarak process resurrected against him and others less than fully compliant.

Earlier, he participated in Egypt's 1956, 1967 and 1973 wars as well as in America's Gulf War "coalition." As part of Egypt's old guard, he'll most likely become president, installed, of course by military coup d' etat.

His mission: preserving the status quo, serving global monied interests, supporting Washington's imperial agenda, and making few substantive constitutional and other old order changes, including little in the way of jobs, independent unions, higher wages, and other essential services - social, economic and political.

Why expect them from a man who led a military, not populist, coup against a sitting ruler, no matter how corrupt, illegitimate and ruthless! They're both cut from the same mold, representing power, not popular interests.

As a result perhaps, on February 12, Reuters headlined, "Egypt protest leaders vow to protect their revolution," saying:

In two overnight communiques, core organizers "demanded the dissolution of the cabinet Mubarak appointed on January 29 and the suspension of the parliament elected in a rigged poll late last year."

They also want "a transitional five-member presidential council made up of four civilians and one military person to prepare for an election to take place within nine months, and (a) body to draft a new democratic constitution."

Moreover, they demand media and (professional) syndicates freedom, military and emergency courts abolished, free formation of political parties, and since protests began, immediately ending Egypt's Emergency Law, enacted in 1981. Surprisingly, however, it wasn't in either communique though clearly a top priority.

Pharmicist Ghada Elmasalmy told Reuters:

"The army is with us but it must realize our demands. Half revolutions kill nations. Now we know our place. Whenever there is injustice, we will come to Tahrir Square."

According to Al Arabiya television, army officials will soon dismiss Mubarak's cabinet and suspend parliament. In addition, the Constitutional Court head will join the military council and participate in Egypt's governance.

One protester, Mohammed Farrag, spoke for others saying:

"(W)e will not give up on Egypt as a civilian state, not a military state. If things move away from our demands, we will go into the street again, even if we have to die as martyrs."

Hopefully, he and others mean it because doing it again will prove urgent. Otherwise, all is lost and nothing gained beyond substituting one strongman for another, backed by the full might of Egypt's military, armed and financed by Washington.

Nonetheless, Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, its main opposition group, called Mubarak's ouster a "historic victory," America and Israel the main losers. Whether true, however, remains to be seen. For sure, it's too soon to tell or know how far Egypt's people power can go before bucking stiff resistance sure to come.

"The victory scored by this revolution is in the first place directed against the United States," said Brotherhood members, "which so far sponsored the toppled regime, and wanted it as a strong ally and defender of the Zionist entity and an enemy of the Arab jihad and resistance movements."

Other Regional Protests

On February 1, Jordan's King fired his government after protests over high fuel and food prices, slowed political reforms, high unemployment and poverty levels, as well as other economic and social issues. Nonetheless, Jordanians want more, including new Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit's resignation. In addition, members of its Farmers Union tossed tomato crates onto the Karak-Aqaba highway over low prices paid them.

Tunisians ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali with no resolution so far. As a result, they're demanding all his cronies ousted, including interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi. They also want attention given deep social needs, including jobs, higher wages, and right to unionize. Hundreds rallied in Tunis, calling themselves a "Caravan of Liberation," one man saying "We have come to bring down the rest of the dictatorship." In addition, civil servants and primary school teachers aren't working, instead protesting against interim officials representing old policies.

In Rabat, Morocco, hundreds of protesters demanded badly needed public sector jobs to help alleviate high unemployment. They also want social inequality and government corruption issues addressed.

Similar anger riled protesters in Algeria, Yemen and elsewhere over unaffordable food and fuel prices as well as shocking levels of extreme poverty, unemployment and state repression.

Occupied Iraq is now affected, demonstrations occurring in numerous cities across the country. Earlier, Hamza protesters stormed government buildings and a police station over political corruption, repressive occupation, and shortages of power, food and jobs. The UAE's The National quoted organizer Abu Ali saying:

"There will be a revolution of the hungry and jobless in Iraq, just as there was in Egypt. It was a march by the unemployed, by those who have lost hope and who see (Prime Minister) Nouri al Maliki and the new government becoming another dictatorship."

On February 10, protests occurred in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Karbala, Diwaniyah, Kut, Ramadi, Samawah and Amara. In Sadr City, they were over public corruption, poverty, unemployment, and lack of social services. In Karbala, a sign said:

"We have nothing. We need everything. Solution: Set ourselves on fire," referring to Tunisia's Mohammed Bouazizi, an unemployed graduate working as a vegetable seller who self-immolated in protest over police confiscating his merchandise for operating without a permit he couldn't get.

"Almost eight years after the US-led invasion, Iraq's infrastructure remains severely damaged. The country suffers a chronic water shortage, electricity supply is intermittent and sewage collects in the streets."

On February 12, Al Jazeera reported clashes between Algerian security forces and pro-democracy protesters in Algiers, demanding democratic reforms, jobs, and regime change. Thousands breached a security cordon joining others in May First Square. Earlier, police closed all city entrances and arrested hundreds.

AFP said, "Large quantities of tear gas grenades had been imported. Anti-riot vehicles were seen parked not far from the square where (a February 12) rally is scheduled to begin....and police in uniform patrolled surrounding streets."

Hundreds more protested around the country, including in Annaba, Sidi Ammar and Raffour. Moreover, in recent weeks, about 20 people tried setting themselves ablaze. Three succeeded and died.

Al Jazeera also said thousands protested in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down. AP reported government forces beating them and arresting at least 10. Unconfirmed accounts also said police used live fire, killing at least one demonstrator. Like elsewhere in the region, millions are deeply impoverished. Many also face chronic hunger, living on less than $2 a day.

A Final Comment

Globally with rare exceptions, including at home, democracy endangers entrenched power. As a result, subverting eruptions are crucial, allowing only controllable facades under anti-populist leaders - how America's process works.

As a result, it's fake. Mock elections pretend to be real. The process is kabuki theater run by political consultants and PR wizards, supported by major media misreporting, featuring horse race issues, not real ones. Everything is pre-scripted. Secrecy and back room deals substitute for a free, fair and open process. Party bosses choose candidates. Big money owns them. Key outcomes are predetermined, and cheated voters get the best democracy deep pockets can buy.

Egypt can expect the same thing, carefully scripted pretense, not democratic change Washington and Egypt's military won't tolerate. Unless millions demand better and fight for it, they'll get old wine in new bottles, again cheated like for 30 years under Mubarak. Forewarned is forearmed. Hopefully savvy protesters understand and plan well their next move.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

John Kozy is a retired professor of philosophy and logic who writes on social, political, and economic issues. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he spent 20 years as a university professor and another 20 years working as a writer. He has published a textbook in formal logic commercially, in academic journals and a small number of commercial magazines, and has written a number of guest editorials for newspapers. His on-line pieces can be found on http://www.jkozy.com/ and he can be emailed from that site's homepage.

It's short, but it's a strong article. It isn't encyclopaedic, but it's strong for historical examples of revolutions not having been successful for long, and that's for the very few that have been successful at all.

With respect to Stephen Lendman's article:

UPDATE: After making the post I checked more Feb. 13th articles at Uruknet.info as well as at antiwar.com and informationclearinghouse.info. Make sure to view the AlJazeera report linked at the end of this post and which is about Egyptian police of low-level rank protesting for better, reasonable wages, health care benefits, etcetera. It isn't a huge demonstration, but it's strong, certainly impressive.

For now, however, Al Jazeera headlined, "Post-Mubarak era dawns on Egypt....just four weeks after Tunisians toppled their....ruler." Or did they? Their struggle also continues against comparable long odds. People throughout the region face them against powerful dark forces, representing imperial/monied interests, not theirs.

Well, Egyptians now are in a post-Mubaraka era, but they haven't achieved post-military regime. Based on an article that I read over the past day or two, while forgetting the title and author, it seems that Tunisians succeeded in outting their "leader", but they he was replaced with another dictator.

Al Jazeera, however, reported:

"Egyptians have woken to a new dawn after 30 years of rule under Hosni Mubarak." All night celebration preceded it. "Fireworks lit the night sky, cars honed under swathes of read, white and black Egyptian flags and people hoisted children above their heads. Some took souvenir pictures with smiling soldiers atop their tanks city streets," unaware that military commanders are enemies, not allies, a reality they'll confront ahead and should prepare.

That article is quick to check. It's several good pictures short paragraphs of text with each picture.

Excerpting from that article:

The massive revolutionary celebrations in Tahrir Square over the past two days began to fizzle out by Saturday night. By Sunday morning only around 5,000 protesters remained encamped within the square - demanding democratic reforms, and specific timetables for these reforms.

(snip)

Around 8am - hundreds of military troops armed with machine-guns moved in to clear open the streets around Tahrir Square.

(snip)

By 9am these armed forces moved into the protesters' campsites and tore down tents using knives and bayonets.

(snip)

Protesters who resisted were beaten, detained or arrested. Journalists, and especially photographers, were harassed. A Japanese photo-journalist was injured in his head as he refused to hand over his camera.

(snip)

Armed forces tore down the tents and banners of peaceful protesters in Tahrir Square. Dozens of detentions and arrests were reported.

Democracy by military rule. Iow, Egyptians did not get a democratic government with the ouster of Mubarak.

But at least some knew that the end of the first phase of demonstration is not the last phase.

"Tahrir Square protesters defy army to keep Egypt's revolution alive

Focus now on push for a civilian-led interim government and removal of emergency laws that permit detention without trial"

Shalkami has not left Cairo's Tahrir Square in the nearly three weeks since the beginning of the popular revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak on Friday.

He withstood an assault by police officers, beating and shooting as they tried to drive the protesters out. And he survived an attack by pro-Mubarak thugs on camels. On Sunday it was the army's turn to try to force him home.

The soldiers politely urged the pharmacist to pack up his things and go. The revolution was won, they said. There was nothing left to protest about. The new ruling military council had promised there would be democracy. Egypt must return to normal. Time to leave Tahrir Square.

Shalkami was having none of it.

"The rest of the revolution is not complete. Since the beginning of the revolution we have trusted our army but if we leave the square our revolution will die. We must keep the revolution alive so that we get the 100% freedom we are asking for," he said.

Shalkami is among a few hundred protesters who have remained in Tahrir Square to keep pressure on the military to meet the demands of the demonstrators, which went beyond Mubarak's removal.

The army has promised free elections in a few months and said it will lift the hated state of emergency when the security situation allows. It has also dismissed the widely discredited parliament elected last year in a tainted ballot.

For most Egyptians that would appear to be enough. But Shalkami is among those continuing to press for the installation of a civilian-led interim government and the immediate lifting of the emergency laws, which permit detention without trial. Instead the army has said a military council will rule by decree.

(snip)

There was no national security or emergency situation there this morning. Demonstrators weren't acting in riot manner. They were by far peaceful. There is no justification for detentions without trial. The military council ruling by decree is dictatorial. So it's odd that this military regime could believe that Egyptians have reason to believe that the regime will live up to its public promise to ensure that Egyptians will be able to have democracy.

The article goes on to briefly describe some army and police actions, like what's stated in the article further above, but also more protesters returning to join those who refused to leave after a call was put out for Egyptians to return because they still haven't achieved what's needed for political change. The Guardian piece also says some police demonstrated to demand pay raises.

And "a victory celebration is planned for Tahrir Square on Friday at which organisers of the protests plan to announce a "council of trustees" to – as Ronald Reagan put it in negotiating nuclear missile treaties with the Soviets – trust but verify", says the Guardian piece.

The last three paragraphs of the piece is about the Egyptian government now or still ruled by military regime is unlikely to accept any serious changes of democratic kind.

And the present PM says there won't be changes.

"Egypt being governed same way as before, PM says"
by Yasmine Saleh, Reuters, Feb. 13, 2011

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's new prime minister said on Sunday the country was being governed in the same way it was under the ousted president -- remarks likely to infuriate protesters keen to dismantle Hosni Mubarak's ruling system.

Apparently seeking to reassure Egyptians that everything was under control, Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said government affairs were being presented to the Higher Military Council, "as they were presented to the president of the republic".

"There is no change in the form, method or process of work. Matters are completely stable," he told a news conference.

Shafiq was appointed by Mubarak after he sacked his former cabinet on Jan. 29 in a vain effort to quell an uprising against his rule.

(Reuters) - Egypt's new military rulers will issue a warning against anyone who creates "chaos and disorder," an army source said Sunday.

The source said the military statement was now expected to appear Monday, not Sunday as the source had said earlier.

The Higher Military Council will also ban meetings by labour unions or professional syndicates, effectively forbidding strikes, and tell all Egyptians to get back to work after the unrest that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

The army will also say it acknowledges and protects the right of people to protest, the source said.

(Reporting by Marwa Awad, writing by Alistair Lyon)

If the army "protects the right of people to protest", then it's not showing this; not when it can detain people without trial, kicks protesters out of Tahrir Square and arrests those refusing to leave, et cetera.

This is the text of the statement Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces issued Sunday. It was translated from the Arabic by McClatchy special correspondent Miret El Naggar.

(snip)

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces strongly believes that freedom and the rule of law, supporting values of equality, democracy. social justice and uprooting corruption are the basis of any ruling system in the world.

In its 5th communique the supreme military council has decided on the following:

(snip)

9.) the state commits to international treaties of which it is a signatory.

The army clearly wasn't demonstrating respect for freedom in Tahrir Square today. When does the army plan on starting to show respect for freedom and democracy, only when Egyptians become sheople?

I only excerpted #9 from the military regime's 5th communique because the treaties referred to are bad news for Palestinians. The Egyptian military regime plans on status quo relations with Washington and Israel. And that's an extreme example of disprespect for democracy, freedom, human rights, and international law.

Egyptian police protesting:

Video: "Police demand more rights
Low-level police rally to clear their name and ask for better wages and health care." (2:17)

It's impressive. For a protest demonstration that isn't large, these low-level officers definitely make themselves heard. And some of them are recorded saying that they need to be with the Egyptian people, those who protested for regime change, while one says the police were wrong and this seems to be with respect to police reacting violently towards protesters over the past few weeks.

That report reminded me a little of what some people have written about the Egyptian military; while the old-guard can hardly be expected to change, young military members possibly will be promising for the Egyptian population.

A good place to start is to look at other Great Revolutions in history.

For example:

"The colonies would gladly have borne the little tax on tea and other matters had it not been that England took away from the colonies their money, which created unemployment and dissatisfaction. The inability of colonists to get power to issue their own money permanently out of the hands of George the III and the international bankers was the PRIME reason for the Revolutionary War."
- Benjamin Franklin, American Revolutionary

Forget that "Taxation without Representation" New-Speak you were taught in public school . . ;-)

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."
- Thomas Jefferson, American Revolutionary

Sound familiar as you look around and see what a shambles your economy is in after decades of "Emergency State" economics?

After you have a good handle on "Money" and "Money Lenders", you might want to stay the hell away from any "human beings" that think they are naturally "Superior Beings" or even "Gods" . . . ;-)

Trusting someone that feels it is not only their "Right" but their "Duty" to "Put you in your place" just never seems to work out well . . . ;-)

"Our race is the Master Race. We are divine gods on this planet. We are as different from the inferior races as they are from insects. In fact, compared to our race, other races are beasts and animals, cattle at best. Other races are considered as human excrement. Our destiny is to rule over the inferior races. Our earthly kingdom will be ruled by our leader with a rod of iron. The masses will lick our feet and serve us as our slaves."
- Israeli prime Minister Menachem Begin, June 25, 1982

Choose instead Individual Rights for ALL . . .

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
- The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Yeah, and beware of wolves in sheep's clothing . . . even if they are young, hip and tech savvy . .. ;-)

(clipped headline and article from Infowars)
"Google’s Revolution Factory - In 2008, the Alliance of Youth Movements held its inaugural summit in New York City. Attending this summit was a combination of State Department staff, Council on Foreign Relations members, former National Security staff, Department of Homeland Security advisers, and a myriad of representatives from American corporations and mass media organizations including AT&T, Google, Facebook, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, and MTV."

"Before the rising sun we fly
So many roads to choose
We start out walking
And learn to run
And yes! We've just begun
Sharing horizons that are new to us
Watching the signs along the way
Talking it over just the two of us
Working together day to day, together"
- "We've Only Just Begun" by The Carpenters

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